Garlic Serrano Grilled Chicken

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This Garlic Serrano Grilled Chicken is built around two things we never get tired of: live-fire cooking and a great sauce. Chicken leg quarters are marinated with lime, garlic, and Maggi seasoning before being grilled until the skin is deeply charred and the meat is tender and juicy.

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The real star of the dish is the Garlic Serrano Sauce. Garlic is slowly cooked in beef tallow until soft and golden, then blended with serranos, tomatillos, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a crispy tortilla. The result is a smooth green sauce with plenty of savory flavor, a little heat, and just enough richness to complement the grilled chicken without overpowering it.

Served alongside a simple grilled corn salad and grilled garlic bread, this is the kind of meal that feels right at home around a backyard grill.

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED (scroll to full ingredient list)

• Beef Tallow

• Knife

• Skillet or Saucepan

• Mixing Bowl

• Citrus Juicer

• Blender or Hand Blender

• Instant-read thermometer

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DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: MARINATE

• Combine the chicken leg quarters, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, Maggi seasoning, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika.

• Marinate overnight, or for at least 2 hours.

STEP 2: SAUCE

• Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until lightly golden and fragrant.

• Add the beef tallow and reduce the heat to low.

• Cook the garlic until soft and golden, about 10 minutes.

• Remove the garlic and set aside.

• Increase the heat to medium-high and fry the tortilla until deeply golden brown and crisp. Remove and set aside.

• Reserve the tallow, then cook the onion, serranos, and tomatillos in the same pan until softened and lightly charred.

STEP 3: BLEND

• Allow the tallow to cool slightly.

• Add the garlic, onion, serranos, tomatillos, tortilla, pumpkin seeds, lime juice, oregano, bouillon, reserved tallow, and water to a blender.

• Blend until very smooth, adding additional water as needed.

• Season with kosher salt to taste.

  • NOTE: For an extra smooth sauce, strain before serving.

STEP 4: CORN

• Combine the grilled corn, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and kosher salt.

• Toss until evenly combined.

STEP 5: GRILL

• Grill the chicken leg quarters until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180°F and the skin is well charred.

• Drizzle the bread with olive oil and grill until lightly charred with crisp edges.

• Mix the softened butter, garlic, and parsley together, then spread over the warm bread.

• Finish with flaked sea salt.

STEP 6: ASSEMBLE

•  Spoon the Garlic Serrano Sauce onto a serving platter or individual plates.

• Top with the grilled chicken and serve alongside the grilled corn and garlic bread.

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INGREDIENTS

Makes 4 servings

GARLIC SERRANO SAUCE

• 2 TBSP beef tallow

• 12 cloves garlic

• 4 serrano chiles

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1/8 tsp Mexican oregano

• 1/4 white onion

• 1/2 TBSP chicken bouillon powder

• 4 tomatillos

• 1 corn tortilla

• 2 TBSP raw pumpkin seeds

• 1/2 C water, plus more as needed

• Kosher salt to taste (about 1/2–1 tsp)

CHICKEN

• 3 lb chicken leg quarters

• 1/2 C olive oil

• Juice of 2 limes

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 TBSP Maggi seasoning

• 1 TBSP brown sugar

• 1.5 tsp kosher salt

• 3/4 tsp black pepper

• 3/4 tsp paprika

GRILLED CORN

• 3 ears corn, grilled and cut

• 1/4 red onion, diced

• 1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped

• Juice of 1 lime

• Kosher salt to taste

GARLIC BREAD

• 1 loaf French bread, sliced

• Olive oil

• 1/2 C butter, room temperature

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

• Flaked sea salt

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